Nosy

I haven't posted here in a while...been busy with a new baby. I don't know where else on the web to post this question. We're moving cross country with a 4 month old & baby in our VW Passat Wagon. We are going to need extra space and are contemplating purchasing a rooftop carrier. Does anyone have experience with these? I know the soft ones are easier to store, but do they withstand weather? Which are safer? Any brand favorites? Or finally, does anyone know where I can go to read reviews of these?

Thanks for any help you can offer.

Budman

We bought a canvas Samsonite cartop carrier last November. My car doesn't have a roof rack, and it handled fine. Make sure you get one that is waterproof.

This is what it looks like. http://www.bryanglobalservices.com/07197.html

Shop around - I think I only paid $70 for mine.

We were very happy with it. We drove back & forth (about 200 miles each way) with it at 70 mph, and it did just fine. You just have to cinch it down really well.

Rich

Sears has several model of roof top carriers that might fit your bill.

Rich

Nosy

Thanks. I'll check those out. Other suggestions?

og719

We also have a soft-side roof carrier and it's great! Highly recommend them.

I gotta tell this...years ago in Newport a friend of mine was getting transferred to the West Coast. They bought a hard-side carrier and installed it on top of their minivan a few days before they left town. I was driving back into the neighborhood one afternoon and his wife was coming home at the same time. She was pulling into their driveway when she saw me and started waving...and kept right on pulling into the driveway all the way to the carport! Wham! Knocked the carrier right off the top and wrenched the roof rack off with it, putting a hole in the roof. The best part, though, was the look on his face when he came running out of the house and saw what had happened! Priceless...

benj

We have a Sear's hardtop one that we use on our Jeep Cherokee. It has been fine. I always put the stuff that I pack in plastic bags just as a precaution in case of leaks. We call it the "pod" because it looks like a spaceship. As for storing it, you can find several different ways to hang them or store them on the floor.

placeu2

I have used both soft and hard models. Unless something has changed, I have a difficult time believeing that a soft model is completely waterproof. Water resistant yes...proof...no. I have experienced water seeping in from the bottom of the carrier in storms. I use one for the convenience of storage but pack most items in plastic bags inside it.

Not sure what you mean by safer but I always reinforce these things with an additional ratchet strap all the way across after it is full. A hard side model will be more secure if that is of any concern to you. I would not leave a soft one on the vehicle in a parking lot overnight.

I have not shopped these recently but if I was in the market for a hard model, I would consider aerodynamics. The last one I used was square and was loud at highway speeds..something to consider on a cross country trek, with a baby sleeping.

I do not have specific ideas for reviews but I would browse camping or outdoor sites for that type of info.

Good Luck!

placeu2

One more idea

Try www.epinions.com. there are lots of consumer opinions on almost everything.

mwessel

We have used our Sears cartop carrier (hard) for years. Ours is one of the old style ones that looks a bit like a turtle. Like some of the other posters, we have always hauled the things that we didn't need to worry about getting wet such as lawn chairs, life jackets, golf clubs, tent, and things in plastic bags. We have hit light rain while using it and it remained dry inside, however never a major downpour.

The only thing about ours that was a little annoying, was that the excess length of strapping left over after securing it, would flap against the car. Not a big deal and we probably could have trimmed it. All in all, we highly recommend a cartop carrier. We've never had a problem with it.

shaz60

We own a Sears hardtop carrier that has been fine for us. We travel quite a lot by car. If you don't envision using the carrier more than your move, I suggest that you rent one from U-Haul or some other nationwide company and avoid the problem of storing it when you get to your new home. We rented one years ago to go to FL and it worked out great. They lock and can be left on your car overnight but they can be difficult to get specific things out of. I wouldn't put my toothbrush in there.

benj

We got ours used at a garage sale several years ago ($20).It has been great & we use heavy duty bungee cords to secure it as well as a ratcheting type nylon strap to attach it to the car. It is not really noisy.

gc

Sears builds a good quality carrier for a modest price. We used to have one of those.

The Thule or Yakima systems are premium priced, of excellent quality and will grow with you as your family grows. We've got Thule on 3 cars and love it...we can lug anything from skis to plywood.

Regarding soft sided carriers, we've got a heavy duty Kanga model, I believe, bought from LLBean. While this thing may not be waterproof if you drive into a lake (Then you've got more problems than wet luggage!), we've brought it through rain, sleet and dark of night with nary a problem.

Storage issues have been covered. Another gotcha is parking garages...you should be OK with a Thule on a Passat, but be careful. My daughters took the van into a garage with the Thule one day and discovered, too late, that it was too high.

They figured out how to pull the whole roof rack off to get out of the jam.

I was really proud of 'em...8^)

Go for the Thule, it's an investment.

MonicaRichards

We have a Thule (the shorter, fat one not the one that's designed for skis) and love it. Easy to get on the roof rack and easy to fill, holds a ton (great when the double jogging stroller and pack and play take up the entire cargo area of the CRV). It is completely waterproof.

Nosy

Thanks for all the great replies. It's good to see people are happy with a wide variety of them without too many problems of noise or car damage. Looks like a trip to Sears & REI are in order. I have to say I'm leaning towards a softtop for storage purposes. My husband is leaning toward a hardtop because he thinks we'll end up taking it on and off the car at the hotel each night, and in all fairness, he is the one who would be doing all that work, so that's definitely a concern.

Thanks again for all the great suggestions!

Dick

I know this is going to sound obvious...but please don't forget about the added height of your car when using a roof rack.

I just got back from vacation, and can still hear the "crunch" as a car with a roof top carrier hit the low entrance to a hotel garage.

gc

Nosy,

If you're concerned about someone "liberating" a soft carrier, try this trick:

1. Get a length (20 feet should do) of plastic coated cable and 2 old tennis balls.
2. Punch 2 holes through the tennis balls (so you can put the cable through twice) and put on each end of the cable
3. Open the car doors, wrap the cable around the carrier 1 or 2 times, then lock the doors with the cable ends (and tennis balls) inside.

This will thwart all but the most determined thieves.